U.S. Rights Group Raises Concerns Over Biden's $14 Billion Funding Request for Israel

| 01 November 2023

| Christie Anto

In a move that has stirred controversy and drawn sharp criticism, President Joe Biden's administration has requested $14 billion in funding for Israel, a move that has prompted Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) to raise alarm bells. The rights group is warning that the funding request includes language that suggests efforts to remove Palestinians from Gaza, potentially "bankrolling" what they describe as ethnic cleansing.

DAWN's concerns were made public on Monday, as the White House sent a letter to Congress on October 20, explaining the purpose of the funding request. The letter indicated that the funds would support displaced and conflict-affected civilians, including Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank. It would encompass various humanitarian aid aspects, such as food and nonfood items, healthcare, emergency shelter support, water and sanitation assistance, and emergency protection.

The White House letter also alluded to the possibility of the Israel-Hamas conflict resulting in displacement across borders, raising regional humanitarian needs, and using the funds to address evolving programming requirements outside of Gaza. These concerns were further heightened when +972 Magazine reported the receipt of a leaked Israeli government document outlining plans to transfer Gaza's entire population abroad, a claim verified by a source in Israel's Intelligence Ministry.

DAWN's executive director, Sarah Leah Whitson, strongly criticized the Biden administration's stance, stating, "The Biden administration isn't just giving a green light for ethnic cleansing — it's bankrolling it. Gaslighting Americans into facilitating long-held Israeli plans to depopulate Gaza under the cover of 'humanitarian aid' is a cruel and grotesque hoax."

Gaza is home to an estimated 2.3 million people, the majority of whom are refugees or descendants of those displaced from historic Palestine during the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

The White House did not respond to Al Jazeera's requests for comment, but President Biden has engaged with international leaders, including Egypt's Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, emphasizing the importance of protecting civilian lives, respecting international humanitarian law, and ensuring that Palestinians in Gaza are not displaced to Egypt or any other nation. However, the administration's stance on the matter remains unclear.

Internally, President Biden's funding request has faced challenges in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Republican lawmakers introduced a bill that separates aid for Israel from assistance for Ukraine and aims to offset the Israel aid by cutting funding from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

In response, several Democrats voiced opposition to the Republican proposal, calling for a compromise between the two parties to advance any legislation for aid money. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer rejected the Republican bill, accusing right-wing lawmakers of attempting to reward the ultra-rich while harming the IRS.

Progressive lawmakers have long called for conditions to be placed on aid to Israel to discourage abuses against Palestinians. However, such voices remain a minority in Congress.

Israel, which has faced accusations of imposing apartheid on Palestinians by major rights groups like Amnesty International, receives approximately $3.8 billion in annual U.S. military assistance. The debate over the $14 billion funding request for Israel is expected to continue, with a variety of opinions and concerns being voiced on both sides of the political spectrum.